2013: Returning starting right tackle ... preseason second team All-ACC pick by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview ... listed as the No. 50 draft-eligible offensive tackle in the nation by Phil Steele’s College Football Preview ... extremely coachable and consistent veteran ... excellent work ethic ... will be counted on for leadership within the offensive line unit ... in 37 career games (37 starts), has played 2,803 total snaps ... enters the 2012 season having started 37 consecutive games, marking the longest streak among active ACC players ... the 37 total starting assignments lead all active players in the conference ... one of four returning starters along the Duke offensive line as the group (Simmons, Takoby Cofield, Dave Harding & Laken Tomlinson) combines for an ACC-high 104 career starts entering the 2013 campaign ... consummate student-athlete with a 3.832 cumulative grade point average following the Spring, 2013 semester ... aiming to become the sixth two-time Academic All-America selection in program history, joining Butch Allie (1959-60), Mike Shasby (1965-66), Curt Rawley (1969-70), Mike Diminick (1986-87-88) and Eli Nichols (2005-06) ... joins Gabe Ikard of Oklahoma as the nation’s lone two returning Academic All-America offensive linemen from a season ago ... in May, 2012, joined nine teammates on a mission trip to Langano, Ethiopia for water well-digging project ... three-time Academic All-ACC pick ... one of four current Duke offensive linemen to have earned Academic All-ACC honors, joining John Coleman, Harding and Tomlinson.

2012: Honorable mention All-ACC choice by the league’s media representatives ... second team Capital One Academic All-America pick ... first team Capital One Academic All-District III choice ... Academic All-ACC selection ... All-Bowl Team pick by ESPN.com ... ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week honoree after Duke rushed for a season-high 234 yards in its 33-30 victory over North Carolina ... started all 13 games at right tackle ... became the 16th player in school history to earn Academic All-America honors and first since Eli Nichols in 2005-06 ... helped the Blue Devils score a school single-season record 410 points while ranking second in the ACC in sacks allowed per pass attempt (1:29.00) ... part of a Duke offense that ranked among the ACC leaders in first downs per game (4th; 22.15), time of possession (4th; 31:07), passing yards per game (5th; 283.9) and points per game (5th; 31.5) ... helped in the protection of 3,000-yard passer Sean Renfree (3,113) as Duke became just the second team in ACC history (Florida State, 1995) to have two 1,000-yard receivers in Jamison Crowder (1,074) and Conner Vernon (1,074) ... part of an offensive unit that boasted a school single-season record and NCAA-best three players with 65+ pass receptions ... in the run game, assisted in opening holes as Duke’s top three running backs combined to rush for 1,401 yards on 283 attempts (4.95 avg.) ... on the field for 1,044 snaps including a season-high 107 against Miami ... played 70+ snaps in nine games.

2011: Academic All-ACC selection ... received the program’s K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award after leading the team in snaps played (927) ... started all 12 games at right tackle ... topped the 70-play plateau in 11 of 12 games including a season-high 102 snaps against Wake Forest ... helped Duke rank among the ACC leaders in both passing offense (2nd) and sacks allowed per passing attempt (3rd) ... aided a Blue Devil passing attack that had four players catch 40+ passes for just the second time in school history and first time since 1982 ... part of a Duke line that opened holes for 19 rushing TDs, a total that matched the program’s highest output since 1995.

2010: Honorable mention Freshman All-America selection by College Football News ... Academic All-ACC choice ... recipient of the Mike Suglia Award, an honor presented annually to the sophomore member of the Duke football program who best exemplifies the academic and athletic qualities of the late Mike Suglia ... started all 12 games at right tackle ... played 832 total snaps ... played a season-best 93 snaps against Miami ... part of an offensive line that ranked third in the league in sacks allowed per passing attempt as the Blue Devils had five players with 30+ receptions for the just the second time in school history ... helped Duke’s passing attack rank second in the ACC as quarterback Sean Renfree became just the fourth player in school history to throw for 3,000+ yards ... also aided in Duke’s enhanced rushing attack that showed marked improvement in yards per game (+46.5), yards per attempt (+1.2), runs of 20 or more yards (+8) and total rushing TDs (+13).

2009: Did not see game action.

PRIOR TO DUKE: Four-year letterman at Sanderson under Jason Tindal ... named 4A All-State by NCPreps.com following senior season ... selected to play in the 72nd annual Shrine Bowl ... named a 2008-09 Carolina Panthers Community Captain for excellence in athletics, academics and community service ... four-time all-conference honoree ... helped Sanderson to state playoff berths in each of his final two seasons ... also lettered in basketball and track and field.

PERSONAL: Son of Renee and Brette Simmons ... father lettered four years (1975-76-77-78) as a tight end at Furman and was a two-time (1977-78) All-Southern Conference selection who finished with 82 career receptions for 1,197 yards and nine TDs while captaining the Paladins to the 1978 league championship ... father also served 12 years on the football coaching staff at N.C. State from 1987-98, helping the Wolfpack to a 79-60-2 record and eight bowl game appearances ... born November 18, 1990 ... majoring in civil engineering while pursuing a certificate in architecture.